Follow Jared on Twitter
People naturally don’t like change, and guess what the landscape of College Football is changing and I don’t like it. Now before you wonder is it satellite camps, the recruiting process, or tackling rules that I don’t like it’s not. The thing that bothers me is … The growth of the game.
ESPN.com’s Jake Trotter recently uncovered documents that Cincinnati, Memphis, Houston, Central Florida and Colorado State have all expressed interest in joining the Big 12 Conference. Which on paper sounds great, but what it can and eventually could do to the game is just confusing. Now, I understand why the Big 12 might have mutual interest in the University of Central Florida. For example look at where they play: Orlando, where UCF is based beyond being sunny year round and tourist trap it’s also the 19th largest television market in the country. More TV sets, mean more viewers, more viewers equals more money and honestly the Big 12 is a business and all businesses love the all mighty dollar. How successful a team is on the field has nothing to do with it, just take a look at Rutgers going to the Big 10. Rutgers doesn’t have the pedigree on the field of Michigan, Ohio State, or Penn State but what they do have is New York City the number 1, TV market in country. The ability to get your product and in this case I mean Big 10 football on in NYC trumps all and why wouldn’t the Big 12 want to follow suit.
So, no I don’t like change. In all honestly when comes to College Football, I’m close to hating it. The game is not about X’s and O’s it’s about dollars and cents. In the end it is good for the universities, and players that will move conferences sure. New and better competition is right around the corner. But so is that confusion.
Hypothetically, what could happen to the College Football landscape is “super conferences”. I think your ACC, SEC, BIG10, Big 12, and PAC12 all stick around, but now with new competition as the smaller conferences like the Sun Belt, MAC, and Mountain West, among others getting swallowed up. Maybe, I’m crazy but does change sound all that great? Before you answer that ask the 2029 Atlantic Coast Conference Champions San Diego State, what they think.
